


It's No Fairytale

by Enmuse (Scifiroots)



Category: Fringe
Genre: Episode Related, Episode Tag, F/M, Fluff, Storytelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-12
Updated: 2011-12-12
Packaged: 2017-10-27 05:38:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/292188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scifiroots/pseuds/Enmuse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set at the end of "Brown Betty," Astrid reflects and Ella proves just how observant she is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's No Fairytale

**Author's Note:**

> Written as part of the multimedia bingo card challenge on scifiland on LJ in August 2010. (Go teamsidekick go!)

Astrid listens to Walter's story and for the most part stays silent while she works. A few times she interrupts in attempt to censor certain content, but Ella seems to know what she wants and has no problem correcting Walter when he strays.

While she moves about the lab, Astrid wonders if the scientist has any idea how much of himself he's revealing with his storytelling. The metaphors are unmistakable and she wishes Peter could hear this. Even Olivia would benefit from the story that, at its center, is about a desperately well-intentioned man struggling to make peace with his past and with those he loves.

As the story winds to a close Astrid stops what she's doing and watches Walter. His words are less steady as he makes his grim prediction for the story's close. She doesn't have any time to wonder how she'll manage to lift Walter's spirits before Ella steps in and rewrites the ending. She speaks with authority and the assurance of childhood, the expert of tales. Astrid's lips curve up in a smile even though there's a painful tug in her chest that "Esther" barely had mention in the tale.

It's some minutes later, after Astrid has gone back to busywork, that Ella appears at her side and holds up a red strand of licorice.

Accepting the candy with a smile, Astrid says, "I like your ending better."

Ella nods solemnly and climbs onto a nearby stool. "Uncle Walter made a lot of mistakes. I still couldn't fix everything."

"Oh?" Astrid places her elbows on the countertop and leans in so she's almost eyelevel with the little girl.

"Yeah. Like my mom, she wasn't _really_ looking for Peter, and Esther wasn't gone to look for a job." Astrid's eyebrows raise in curiosity. "Esther was already searching for Peter when Olivia took the case, and Olivia didn't find _her_ true love but she _did_ see real love."

Astrid doesn't know how to respond and it takes her a few moments to realize the implication of Ella's statements. Her head's still whirling when Ella speaks again, voice softer.

"Do people really die when someone takes part of their heart and goes away?" Her eyes are wide and worried as she looks up at Astrid. "Is Uncle Walter gonna die? Are you sick?"

"Oh no, no, sweetie!" Astrid is quick to reassure. She embraces Ella, mostly to comfort the girl but also in order to escape that worried, knowing gaze. "Shh, don't worry. We're all going to be okay. Most people have very big hearts and we can share that with many people. Just because someone is gone doesn't mean our heart is lost." She kisses Ella's forehead and shifts a little so she can look down. "We exchange hearts, too, so even when someone goes away, some part of them is still with us."

Ella adjusts so that she can meet Astrid's gaze. "Like guardian angels?"

"Something like that," Astrid agrees.

For a long while they remain silent, Astrid's arm still wrapped around Ella. Across the lab Walter is shifting through his records, lips moving silently and a look of concentration on his face.

"Astrid, why is Peter gone?"

Why he left isn't hard to answer, the questions that plague her are when will he come back and why hasn't he tried to contact her? Astrid has to remind herself that Ella is asking the question and she needs to come up with an answer that satisfies a child's curiosity but doesn't go into detail.

"He... needs to think about some things," she finally says. "Sometimes when there's a lot to think about, people like to get away from everyday life."

"So when's he coming back?" Ella persists.

Astrid feels her mouth open but she has no answer. In her darker thoughts she acknowledges the possibility that he might never come back. At the most hopeful... Well, the light of hope is dimming by the day as she watches her friends falter and she struggles with the fact that _Peter has not called her._ He gave her no word before he left, and she's had no indication since that he's attempted contact.

Logically she knows that he wants to get away from anything and everyone connected to Walter and The Pattern, so she's included in that. But emotionally, and with a different sort of logic, she thinks that she deserves the courtesy of _something_. It shouldn't be too much to expect when they've slept together for the past three months.

Astrid recalls Walter's Film Noir-esque fairytale and sighs. Then again she doesn't know how much of the relationship was really about her, if it was going anywhere. Everyone (including herself) recognizes the dance between Peter and Olivia that started soon after they met. It isn't difficult to imagine their coming together; Astrid knows that most people are expecting it. Certainly Walter enjoys the idea.

"Astrid?"

She startles to awareness and finds Olivia standing nearby, frowning in concern. "Oh. Hi. Any news?" she asks even though the answer is clear. If they had any leads, Olivia would have rushed in and hurried to explain.

"No, unfortunately." Olivia glances at Walter who is standing at the steps to the platform, his expression desolate. "I'm sorry."

Ella hugs Astrid briefly before slipping off the stool and joining Olivia. "Don't worry, Aunt Liv. Astrid says that people exchange their hearts and that means he has to come back to make it complete, right?"

"That isn't--" _quite what I said_ , she thinks.

Walter blinks in confusion. "Exchange hearts...?" A moment later his expression clears and his exclamation of surprise sounds only slightly baffled.

Olivia is watching Astrid when she returns her attention to the little girl and her aunt. Olivia doesn't look away, a gentle almost wistful expression in her eyes, as she replies to Ella, "That sounds right, sweetie. I'm sure Peter will be very happy to see you."


End file.
